


Fire is needed to forge

by Lovisey



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, post-adwd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-20
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-25 21:35:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1663265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lovisey/pseuds/Lovisey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sixteen years after Daenerys Targaryen conquered the Iron Throne, she dies. Her eldest daughter, Rhaenys Targaryen, is the new Queen now. </p><p> </p><p>(English is not my mother tongue, I'm trying to make everything right, but maybe the grammar sometimes remebers of Master Yoda. I'm going to update about once a week. Slight changes from the original ASoIaF-universe, but nothing really big.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Varys

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own A Song of Ice and Fire. Otherwise, I would sit at the beach of a nice, tropical island now and I would definitely not write fanfics, but a new book to get even richer. The TV show A Game of Thrones also does not belong to me- otherwise, I would buy the whole tropical island so no other tourists bother be.

Chapter 1-Varys

She slowly walked into the Sept, her steps elegant, the face showing no emotion.When the moss green dragon that clung to her back instead of a cloak hissed and unfolded its wings, the whole court gasped, he was no exception in this. _She truly is a queen_. Sixteen years old, and more the ruler of Westeros than her mother or any Baratheon or even Aegon the Conqueror ever was. Rhaeny’s mother died only a few days ago, and her father was dead since yesterday morning. The king had loved the Dragon Queen-when she died, he got mad, and after her funeral, he killed himself. As the Dragon Queen changed the laws of Westeros, girls now had the same right as boys when it came to inheritance, so her eldest child, her daughter Rhaenys, was going to be crowned now. As oldest Targaryen child, she also got the dragon egg laid by her mother’s dragons seven months ago, and the beast hatched and was now sort of a pet or guard for her. Born of Fire and Blood, they called her, the Flame of Westeros. Her mother Daenerys had been a quite good queen for the sixteen years she sat on the Iron Throne, but that Rhaenys was incredible intelligent and better in politics than her mother. Her mother had been…a mother. A mother to the realm, good in giving bread to the poor, good in styling herself as the greatest queen ever seen with her three dragons, but bad in ruling an empire. Rhaenys had a powerful position at court since years, made her way into the small council when she was fourteen and the whole Realm had been looking forward for having her as the Queen. Unlike her mother, she had been born in Westeros, spent her childhood her and simply knew about the wishes, fears and loves of the small folk and the high Lords. Her mother had not been the worst queen ever seen, but she just never knew her folk the way youknow it when you have been born in Westeros. Now, Rhaenys was going to be crowned, in the sept of Baleor. The whole court and many Lords and Ladies came to visit King’s Landing for the crowning-and countless numbers of normal people of the folk. The small folk loved her for reforming the tax system a year ago so it was fairer-not everyone needed to pay a fix number of Gold Dragons now, but a percentage of their yearly incoming- so it was sure that today the night will be a single great feast. He was sure that she knew how well loved she was, although she showed nearly no signs of affection for those who loved her. _And that’s why they love her: She seems like she doesn’t need them, she seems strong, and strong persons love strong persons to rule over them. That was the fault of the two kings they are calling Usurpers now, Robert Baratheon and Joffrey Lannister: Robert was strong once, but his strength faded, and Joffrey was weak from the moment he was born. Daenerys was surely a strong person, but she was too much the mother and too little the warrior. Rhaenys will be the mother of the Realm, the queen who gives bread to the poor, but she will also be a warrior that will give the Lords the war, because war is what they love so: She will conquer the Iron Islands again, they’re a own kingdom since Joffrey’s reign and Daenerys mainly ignored them. She will take them back, that’s sure._ She reached the steps that led up to the altar with the High Septon standing behind it. Every single step she took so gracefully that it seemed like she did not touch it. Behind her, the small procession of Arya Stark, who was to be her Hand if the songs of his birds were true, and Jon Snow, her loyal friend, stopped a few steps away from the altar. These last steps she was taking alone. The thousands of candles on the altar seemed to flicker and dance as she stopped in front of them. She stood still and straight, her face still showing no emotions. _How small she is, and how slender. She’s looking like a girl and still like a warrior._ The Septon started to talk: “Rhaenys Targaryen, daughter of Daenerys Stormborn, Flame and Fire of Westeros, Sister of Dragons, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm, born of fire and blood. On your head the seven faces of god, the Mother and the Warrior, the Smith and the Maid, the Father and the Crone and the Stranger, the Lords and Ladies of the Seven Kingdoms and the folk of the Seen Kingdoms are placing a crown, so you may be ruled by the gods and rule the people. May you regent with wisdom.” She bend her knee, the dragon jumped away from her back, clapped its wings together a few times and started flying small circles over her only two arm lengths over her head. The Septon placed the crown on her head. _It’s not looking like she is submitting herself to the Septon or the gods, even though she knees. Looking unbending on your knees-that’s artistic_. In even voice that was surely great for singing, she answered: “I, Rhaenys Targaryen, daughter of Daenerys Stormborn, Flame and Fire of Westeros, Sister of Dragons, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, born of fire and blood, vow to be ruled by the gods and rule the people and regent with wisdom.” “Rise.”, said the Septon. She rose gracefully, now turning around. No sound came from the court as she stood there, looking down at the people, the candles flickering and dancing in an unnatural way, the torches producing flames too big to be normal. _In her mother, there was fire. But she, she is the fire_. The dragon started coming down again, every circle the animal flew was a little bit nearer to the ground than the one before. It only took a few seconds until the beast again clung on her back. It seemed like no one was breathing. _The queen has a hand for creating atmosphere_. Suddenly, she started speaking in a loud voice that filled up the whole sept: “l vowed to regent with wisdom, being ruled by the gods and rule the people. I want to ask you, the people I’m going to rule: Does anybody challenge my claim to the Iron Throne, does anybody think that I’m not the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms? He or she may speak now.” Silence remained. _Clever girl. Very clever, a lot more cleverness than her mother had_. She waited a few more seconds, but no one said anything, so she continued her speech. “As it looks like no one denies that I am the rightful Queen, I ask all high Lords and Ladies to renew the vows that bond them to my mother and her house, now bonding them to me.” The court murmured. _She knows that in many parts of the Realm it’s believed that a vow cannot bind you to a family, but only to a single person. The laws of the Realm speak different, so if one of the Lords betrays her and she kills him for this, the sentence may be right by law but won’t be seen as rightful by many people. If she makes them renew their vows, then someone betrays her and she kills him for this, traditions allow her this too…If won’t prevent a war if it should come to a war, than her enemies will find other reasons to fight her, but why presenting them a reason to call her unjust on a silver plate?_ The first one stepping forward was Jon Snow. Snow had been defending the Realm against the attacks of the White Walkers and came to court about a year before Rhaenys was born. Some murmured he was her true father, but that were rumors. Nothing in Rhaenys look remembered of him, she looked like the king through and through: The hair a golden shade of light brown, the eyes this wonderful blue, warm eyes, they could see right in the soul of persons. The small and slender body and the beautiful face with the big eyes and the small nose she had from her mother. But even if not her father, for sure Snow was a good friend to her, a counselor and member of the small council as well. Snows cousin, Arya Stark, was sort of a second mother for Rhaenys. Snow kneeled in front of the steps; the queen looked down on him. He laid his sword, Longclaw it was called, on his knee and swore: “ I, Jon Snow, member of the small council, swear to queen Rhaenys Targaryen, that I will follow her and her orders and never betray her. May I and my sword be yours.” Rhaenys answered: “I accept your vows. May your summers be long and your winters short”. After Snow, Lady Arya, then Lord Tyrion Lannister, who had been Hand of queen Daenerys after he broke up with his family, Lord Tyrell, Lord Arryn, Lord Frey and Lord Florent, Lord Martell, and all the other higher Lords and some high Ladies in the Sept. Nearly thirty vows were given to her, mainly from higher Lords who spoke also for the houses sworn to themselves. When finally the last house swore, her gaze turned to him. “Lord Varys, It think you’re the last one left.” she said, on her face the shade of a smile. He bowed. “I’m sworn to the Realm and I work for the Realm, and my work needs to be done silent and in secret. My little birds may get scared if they hear that their master is sworn to the dragon, you know, even the smallest dragon is able to kill a bird, and you are a big dragon, no doubt…” He chuckled. _It’s true. I’m working for the Realm, and when the birds hear that I’m sworn to the Flame of Westeros, many of them would stop their singing. But I’m moving in a dangerous area right now…Hopefully she understands_. She did. A small smile appeared on her face and she answered: “Then, Varys, hopefully your birds don’t stop singing their wonderful songs to us. But of course you can renew your vow to the Realm?” “I can, my queen.” He walked to the beginning of the steps and kneeled down. “I, Lord Varys, the Spider I’m called, vow to serve the Realm with all my forces.” Smiling, she answered. “As I’m the Queen of the Realm, and not the Realm it self, I can’t accept or regret your words. But I can wish you short winters and long summers.” “And I thank your for that, your Grace. “ He bowed and walked back into the rows. She started talking again: “As my first official act, I am naming Lady Arya Stark, married to Lord Martell, Hand of the queen. Also, I’m naming Lord Jon Snow Lord Commander of the city watch. The announcement of the members of the Small Council will occur in the evening in the great hall when the court eats. Lady Arya, Lord Jon, Lord Tyrion and Lord Varys, join me to present the folk their new queen on the balcony of the sept. I thank you all.” Slowly, she walked down the steps, the dragon now sitting on her shoulder, Lady Arya and Lord Jon followed her, Tyrion and Varys joined them when the trio was already halfway to the door. Varys murmured to Tyrion: “So, we see the girl is clever. But will she be a good queen? What do you think, my friend?” Tyrion answered with a slight smile. “She has a talent for politic. You’ve seen it yourself every small council meeting…She will do a good job.” “And what, my dear friend, do you think about the Lannister problem? We still have no solution.” The reputation of the Lannisters wasn't really great since Daenerys conquered the Iron Throne again, but they were still a family with a lot of money and  influence. They could be dangerous and the Targaryens planned to bind them closer to the Iron Throne…But how to bind them closer, no one knew really. Visenya was twelve, too young to be married yet, and even if you would consider a betrothal with a Lannister for her, there would be no one of her age who was of importance in the Lannister family. Aegon was fifteen, he could be betrothed to Mya Lannister, but even though he had never seen the girl, he totally refused to be married to her. _But our new queen would be able to force him into marriage. He never won an argument against her. But what use has a marriage full of hate for us? It probably would never be consummated, and without a child, there would be nearly no effect when it comes to bonding the Lannisters to our Flame_. “My friend”, Tyrion whispered back, “let us discuss this later in a meeting with our queen. We need to present the Flame to the folk, not?” “Of course.” They already reached the door to the balcony. Two guards opened it. With a smile on her face, Rhaenys walked out, Whisper, as her dragon was called, next to her. She walked forward to the edge of the balcony,her four followers taking their places behind her, and murmured something to Whisper. The dragon clapped its wings a few times and flew away from the balcony, now flying over the shouting folk in circles. She raised her hand slightly, you wouldn’t be able to call it a wink really, but it was sort of a greeting for sure. The crowd shouted back: “The Fire Queen! The Flame! The Flame!” Jon looked over his shoulder to Tyrion and shouted over the chanting of the crowd: “Looks like she already has a name from the smallfolk!” Tyrion shouted back: “What did you imagine? They love her, and “Queen Rhaenys Targaryen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhonyar” and however it goes on, is way too long!” For a little time, no one spoke and the Queen smiled at the crowd. Suddenly, Rhaenys shouted with a big smile on her face, now waving her hand slightly at the masses of people: “Fire is needed to forge. And I intend to forge and greater empire than there ever was, so “Flame” is a well describing name for me, not?” They laughed. “It is, Rhaenys.” Arya answered. “Should we go back now?”, Tyrion asked. “We should”, the queen herself shouted back, “we need to discuss the marriage of my brother.” Jon laughed. “I think you’re the only queen who is doing work on her crowning day!” She smiled at him: “I’m the first, but more will follow.” She waved one last time at the chanting crowd and called: “Whisper!” The dragon seemed to hear her over all the shouting, as it immediately flew back to her and took its place to her right. She turned away from the still chanting folk and walked inside again, followed by the persons she called her advisors. Though she’s not calling all of them her friends, only Jon and Arya and Tyrion. _She’s too clever to call me a friend_. The door closed behind them.


	2. Tyrion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new small council holds its first meeting.

Tyrion It was only an hour after supper when the newly-announced small council, which included Varys, Jon Snow, Arya Stark and himself came together the first time. They all sat at the round table Rhaenys had newly put into the council chamber, the new queen with them. _Very new, this whole thing: new council, new table, new queen_. _The council is smaller than I am used to, Daenerys always had tons of advisors and now it’s only us five._ The former queen had changed the council law, so kings and queens just can choose anyone for a place in the council, the person did not need to be in a special position, just someone the regent thinks about he or she is a good advisor. Rhaenys spoke. “Welcome, my lord and ladies. I think you all know why I have summoned you so early after my crowing: We need to discuss the marriages for my brother and my sister. Aegon is fifteen, he will be sixteen in four months, and we badly need to find a solution for the Lannister problem, so his bride will be Mya Lannister. Visenya… Twelve is not old enough for marriage, but old enough for betrothal. But I have no idea who might be a good match for her.” Tyrion had broken up with his family years ago, it didn’t made him uneasy to hear them saying words like “the Lannister problem”. “Your Grace,” Jon started, “the north is bonded relatively close to you. So I think Visenya doesn’t need to be going north. What about the South? She would like Dorne.” _Sure she would. Visenya is a sweet child, proper Targaryen features with her silver hair and purple eyes, just like Aegon. Rhaenys is the only one of the three who’s looking like the king. Visenya and Aegon love talk and mead, Rhaenys is the silent, watching one. The only one of them who could ever be a good Protector of the Realm. The other two are too easy to persuade. Visenya would love the the Dornish sun and celebrations and their luxurious way of living._ “Not Dorne. I’m already married to Lord Martell, no need for another match to the south.”, Arya said. “The East also needs no closer relationships to you, your grace.” Tyrion said. She turned at him, total confusion in her eyes. Then she burst out in laughter. With tears in her eyes from laughing, she chuckled: “Your grace…Tyrion! I’ve always been Rhaenys and I will not have you calling me “your grace”! No one of you will call me “your grace”, is that understood?” She chuckled and muttered: “your grace...” Jon bowed and said with a wicked smile: “If this is your wish, no one will call you your grace, your grace.” “Jon!” she shouted in faked protest, “but now continue. I see, we can choose a nice and honorable and friendly Lord for Visenya, there’s no need for a political match.” She stood up, walked to the door, opened it and told a guard: “Bring me my sister!”, then closed the door again and said: “Let’s see if Visenya has any wishes.” It only took a little time until Visenya was brought, already in her nightgown. “I’m sorry, sweet sister, I forgot you are used to go to bed early.” Rhaenys apologized. Visenya looked a bit younger like her twelve years and was very excited about her sister being queen. She looked up at Rhaenys and asked, nearly jumping in excitement: “Are you doing queen’s work and need my help? What is it?” Rhaenys smiled at her sister. “Take a seat, my little dragon.” Visenya took place on a chair opposite to Jon, Rhaenys took her place between Arya and Tyrion. “See, my little sister…” she started, “you know that you will wed a Lord some day. Not today, not tomorrow, but when you’re fifteen or so, you will marry. That’s only a few years until then, and we don’t need to make a political match for you. Normally, princesses are betrothed about three years before their marriage, so it’s time to find somebody for you. Do you have any wished about your future husband?” Rhaenys asked calm and serious, as they were talking about the weather. Jon burst in. “Rhaenys, you are horrible with children. You’re scaring her!” it was true. Rhaenys way to talk about her sisters future was too cold for sweet Visenya. Jon tried to fix it: “See, little one, we can get you a wonderful Lord. A honorable and just and handsome man. We just want to make sure that you like him, right? So now look, do you want to live more south or north in future? Or more in the middle?” Visenya surprised them all with saying: “North. I want to live north.” Tyrion asked confused: “It’s cold there, you know? And there aren’t many celebrations and singers and feasts. We thought about Dorne, you would like the way to live there.” “But I want to live in the North.” Visenyatold them stubbornly, “Arya and Jon sometimes told me stories about their father and their brothers and about the north in general. I would like to live there, see the snow, and Winterfell…”  “ Why not North?” Rhaenys said, more to herself than to a person in the room. “I mean," she went on, now louder and really talking to the small council, "the North is as good as anywhere from the political sight. Lord Umber’s son , perhaps? He is only two years older than Visenya, I’ve seen him on our travel north a year ago, a nice boy…” Arya added: “The Umbers are good people. I would like my little dragon in the north!” She was standing behind Visenyas chair and now petting her shoulder. “Yes, Visenya would like the boy” Jon meant, “when we visited, he seemed like a great person. Just, honorable, nice…” “And he was not ugly, thankfully. Altough I have no idea how so ugly parents can produce a boy not looking like a gargoyle on the walls of Dragonstone.” Tyrion interrupted, “We should sent our little dragon north for a visit. If she likes him, she can stay and marry him in two or three years.” Visenya seemed pleased. “But you will come with me!”. Rhaenys chuckled. “No, sweet sister. I’m queen, I can’t leave now.” “Rhaenys!” her whole council shouted. “You’re so horrible with children!” Jon added, “see, little one, Rhaenys can’t come, and we need to stay with her. But we’ll visit you in a few months when the we make the marriage arrangements in Lord Umbers Castle, and we’ll write you every day. Is that good?” Visenya seemed sad, but she was a lady through and through, so she said: “That’s fine.” “Great.” Arya clasped her hands, “and now come, I’ll bring you to bed.” Arya lifted the little dragon up like she had no weight and carried her out of the door. “Call me if you need me!” she shouted over her shoulder. When the door closed behind them, Tyrion announced: “I will miss little Visenya. Maybe I can travel with her?” “Not so early after my crowning. I need you here now. She’ll go soon.” Rhaenys answered, “but tell the guard he should bring me Maester Samwell.” “Of course.” A moment later, the fat person was there, breathing heavily. Sam runned, and running aways made him look like a giant, red pig. Tyrion liked the Maester, but also thought him looking very...funny. “Send a message to Lord Umber. Tell him Visenya will arrive in his Castle in a fortnight, first only for a visit, but tell him we intend to marry her to his eldest son if he would also like this match.” “I’ll do so.” Sam bowed and already turned around when Rhaenys called: “And tell the guard to bring me Aegon!” To Varys, Jon and Tyrion, she added: “Now comes to worst part. He will marry Mya Lannister; there is no discussion about this.” Aegon made them wait. It took a long time until he finally arrived, and the queen was angry then. “Take a seat, brother.” She pressed out with clenched teeth. Aegon let himself fall on a chair lazily, Rhaenys still stood. “You’re here to talk about your marriage with us.” Rhaenys started. “If you plan to marry me to this Lannister girl, stop it. I simply won’t marry her.” he declared stubbornly. “Of course you will.” Rhaenys answered calmly, “and there will be no discussion. She is beautiful, nice,-“and a LANNISTER!” Ageon shouted, “a Lannister! The family that betrayed all kings! The family the Kingslayer came from, as well as Tywin Lannister-““who was my father.” Tyrion interrupted, “you see: not all Lannisters are bad. Or have I tried to kill you?” Aegon stared at him angrily. Rhaenys spoke calmly, in a soft voice, but he knew her good enough to hear the surpressed anger in it: “She’ll arrive in two weeks. You’ll talk to her, you’ll be polite. If I hear that you’re treatening her wrong, you will be married to someone far worse than Mya Lannister.” “So, tell me, sweet sister, who could be worse than a Lannister?” he mocked. “I. I could be far worse than any Lannister.” Total silence flooded the chamber. He knew that the queen did not mean to really make this threat real, as well as Arya, Jon and Varys-but Aegon did not knew. He was shocked. “So, will you marry Mya Lannister, treat her gently, not complain, consummate the marriage and to your duty to your family-or will you marry me so I can make your live to hell on earth with not only being the worst sister in the world, but also the worst wife?” she said, soft and without any emotions, staring into her brothers eyes. “I will marry the Lannister girl. I will.” Aegon was frightened. “Then, go out of this chamber and go to your room. But first, tell me the name of the girl.” Rhaenys hissed. “Which girl?” her brother said in an unnatural high voice. “The girl you love. The girl that’s the reason you hate the idea of marrying another so much.” He gulped. “Freya.” “Freya what?” Rhaenys asked sharply. “Freya Florent.” “Daughter of Magaery Tyrell and this lord from Highgarden?” “Right”. “Good. Out of my sight now” “Will you do anything to her?” Aegon asked, totally frightened now. “Do you take me for my grandfather? The only thing that will happen if you behave wrong in front of Mya Lannister will be me as your bride. But I suppose that’s frightening enough. And forget Freya Florent, for the sake of you and for the sake of this girl.” “Do you allow me one question?” he asked, in a very quiet voice. “I do.” “Who will be your husband?” She breathed in loudly. “I haven’t decided yet. My small council and I will decide next weeks. But for sure, he won’t get king because I’m queen and only Targaryens will sit on the Iron Throne. I will also keep my name. And our children will have the Targaryen name. And now out, before I’ll call Whisper.” Aegon left, the door closed behind him. Jon breathed in loudly. After a few seconds of silence, Varys asked: “You’re sure it was right to frighten him like this?” “It was.” “Your husband…an interesting topic.”, Tyrion tried to change the topic. “We won’t discuss it today. Good night. Jon, come with me.” The small council left the room. If was dark in the hallway, only torches lightening it a bit. He guessed it was already about midnight. Jon and Rhaenys took another way than Tyrion and Varys, Tyrion saw the two green cloaks fading in the darkness of the castle. _Time to make him take the bait. Hopefully, he already noticed me a few seconds before and is curious now..._  “She’s great in persuading people, not?”, Varys whispered. ”Persuading? She frightened her brother so much he nearly made his way in the grave.” Varys chuckled. “That’s what I meant with “she’s great in persuading people”, or do you think he’ll now refuse to marry Mya Lannister?” “No, he will not refuse. But who will our lovely Queen marry? She’s sixteen, and not betrothed to anyone. It’s time for a marriage.” “I have no idea, to tell the truth” Varys answered, with something like disappointment in his voice, “my little birds are not singing a single word about this topic. It looks like no one knows anything about her thoughts when it comes to this!” “No one? I have the suggestion to ask Jon Snow for information about this topic.” Tyrion told Varys, raising one eyebrow. “You think Jon and Rhaenys share something more than a friendship?” Varys asked, interested in this idea. “I’m thinking…”, Tyrion answered, “But I know nothing for sure. Maybe it’s just what it looks like to be: a friendship. He’s eighteen years older than she is…” _I know her true intentions when it comes to marriage, but it’s better to set Varys on this track I just made up than make him hearing around in some dark corners-it could be that he’s hearing around in the right corners. Her future husband is already clear, but nothing to know for Varys yet._ Rhaenys asked him to set Varys on this track a few days ago…They reached a crossing. Varys made a small bow to him and wished a good night before he took his way to the right. Tyrion walked to the left and reached the door to his chambers after a few minutes. He washed himself and fell on the bed then, pulling out the candle immediately-no reading today. Before he drifted into the land of dreams, he whispered into the darkness: “Rhaenys Targaryen…Maybe the Kingdoms finally have a good queen.” _Not a person you can call nice and heartwarming, but a good queen. And that’s what the people deserve_.


	3. Jon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the council meeting, Jon and Rhaenys talk in the godswood.

They were walking to the Godswood of Kings Landing, a young forest, but you could feel the gods in there, even without a weirwood tree. Rhaenys was quiet, as she used to be until they were sure that no animals followed them-neither Varys little birds nor Arya’s direwolf. Arya was a bit too curios sometimes. They entered the first rows of trees and made their way to the center in silence. When they reached the darker, more humid parts of the forest, Jon murmured to Ghost to look out for unwanted visitors, and they watched the white direwolf fade in the darkness. Finally, she turned to him. “Do you really think that’s the right choice?” he asked, studying this young, beautiful, yet somehow hard face with the warm blue eyes that could pierce you. “I don’t think it, I know it.” she whispered, “Aegon is useless alone. The Lannisters won’t be happy with the only second place.” “Two Dragons wed to Lions…The north is not going to like this.” “Mya is hardly considerable Lannister. It has been generations since a really important Lannister showed up in her line. There’s mainly Tyrell and Martell in her, she even looks like a Tyrell. And the Umbers are getting my Sister.” “You would have liked her with Rickon, not?” He still felt sad when talking about the last trueborn son of Ned Stark. Rickon died, after all he had survived, he died of an ordinary sickness. And Bran...no one had ever seen Bran since years. He was lost, probably dead. “I would have. But some things don’t happen. Visenya will like the Umber.” “She will.” She breathed in heavily. “I still ask myself sometimes…Why have you refused being married to Sansa?” “I told your mother a dozen times. Even though we are only cousins, I just couldn’t stop thinking of her as a sister. She’s happy with lord Karstark, I believe. More happy than she would ever have been with me.” She sat down on a rock that was full with moss, looking in the darkness in front of her, seeming like dreamt away. “You refused them all. Sansa. Daenerys. Heck, even Arianne Martell, and this one is just simply wonderful. You could have been king, you know? Why did you never wed under my mother’s reign? You’re like the most wasted potential in King’s Landing. The son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. My mother could have been securing the whole west with you, and we wouldn’t have this Lannister problem today. Why? Why did she let you?  She even forced herself to marry, why not you?” He laughed softly. “You are strange persons, you Targaryens, do you know that? I always thought of your mother as the strangest Targaryen, but you point her out by far. You’re too strong and too clever for your own good.” “And how am I to take this for an answer to my question?” Now it was his to stare into the darkness. “It was just…Have I ever told you about my time with the wildlings?” “More than once. Of Ygritte, the spearwife, and Val, the wild princess, about the dead of Qohrin Halfhand and how Maester Samwell saved Gilly and her son…About the White Walkers and warging, about you and Ghost…I loved these stories, as I loved to hear Arya telling about changing faces and Bravoos… But how is this supposed to answer me?” “The wildlings…They’re free. Sometimes I believe I should have stayed there. I was so fascinated by that freedom, you can’t believe it.” “Oh, I can. I was never free. Never. I am Rhaenys Targaryen, Queen to this Realm forged in Fire and Ice, and it’s the first thing you learn as a princess: You are not free and you’ll never be. Freedom must be fascinating.” “It is. Intoxicating. And I think, I never wanted to give up a bit of my freedom. And being king or queen, king of the North or king of Dorne or king of the whole Realm, as you said, is the thing as far away from freedom as a thing can be. I just wanted to stay as free as possible.” “Understandable. How are the Gold Cloaks doing? Are we safe?” “From whom do you fear an attack?”, he asked, laughing. “From Drogon.” “Drogon? Your mother’s dragon? That's pointless. Why should he do that? It's like my Rhaega attacking the city-it will never happen.” “ I think he got as mad as my father when she died. Rhaega is yours, Viserion Tyrion’s…But Drogon was my mother’s as Whisper is mine. He was on a tour outside the city when she died, and not seen since then. I sent Whisper the day after Daenerys took her last breath, but she didn’t brought him back. Perhaps you could ride on Rhaega to look after him? I fear he might do…something stupid.” “Why not Tyrion and Viserion?” “Jon, do I really need to tell you? You are a wonderful person, just, honorable, and that’s your problem. You don’t have that much use as Tyrion when it comes to advice in the Game of Thrones.” “You won the Game. You're sitting on this Iron Throne that's so important for you Targaryens.” “No. It’s a game you can’t win. You can sit on this ugly Iron thing my great-great-great-great-grandfather forged-and he must have had a really bad taste, I mean, it’s ugly- but it’s never yours. You only sit there for a while, perhaps a day, perhaps a week, perhaps a a season, perhaps your whole life, and it’s never yours. It's only lent…From the gods, maybe? From Aegon the first? From my mother? I don’t know. But it’s lent. “ For a while, they sat there, he on the ground and she on her rock. Her face was unreadable. After a few minutes, he asked: “Why don’t you tell Arya about your intention to marry the Lannister? You told me and Tyrion, why not her?” “Because Arya would tell me the arguments against it. I mean, I know I need to do it, but Arya would find something that makes me believe I don’t have to. She’ll say that they’ll have Aegon married to Mya and if this isn’t enough for them, she’ll put a sword trough them and after she told me that, she’ll laugh and say that we can run off to Braavos to escape the whole thing called Seven Kingdoms… We can’t, but she’ll make it sound like we can. She’ll make me tremble.” He let this sunk for a few seconds. _Too smart for her own good… The only dragon among the three Targaryen children. The other two may look like Targaryens, but they're childish fools compared to this lady-no, not lady, this queen-next to me._  “And Varys? Why haven’t you told Varys yet?”, he asked. “Varys whispers in many ears. Aegon needs to be wed to Mya before Varys knows about my planned betrothal with the Lannister, because as soon as Varys knows, he may be telling it Aegon, and even I couldn’t bring Aegon to marry Mya then. He’ll say something like that I’m already marrying a Lannister and he doesn’t need to do it, because I’m already doing it… And my best threat to him, me as his bride, would be useless then.” “Well, I assume you’re right then. But when will you tell the court? And the poor Lannister, does he already know?” “The boy doesn’t know yet. The Lannisters know that Aegon will be married to Mya, of course they know, she is on her way from this little castle near Casterly Rock to King’s Landing right now. And they know that this isn’t enough for them. Even with the hollow title “King”, they’ll be satisfied. And at least, Benjamin Lannister is not mad like his half-brother was.” He breathed in loudly. This girl was as stubborn as Arya. Benjamin Lannister was the son of Jamie Lannister and a lady from the Green Vale, he married her shortly after the war. Daenerys would have killed Jamie for the murder of her father, Aenys, but his help in the conquer and the stories about her father's madness she heard from everyone changed her mind. “It will be horrible for you, being married to don’t know, for a political reason…” “My mother survived it. Arya survived it and is loving her husband now. Why not me?” He wanted to shout something like “because we are talking about a Lannister!” at her, but the slender girl next to him was his queen. So he only told her: “It was hard for them. And Arya doesn’t love Lord Martell. She only started liking him, the way you like a friend.” “ Right, I forgot... But nothing more I want, I would be satisfied with even less. I stopped hoping love, I stopped hoping for freedom. Love and freedom are things you will never get as a queen. What I want is to forge and empire…To conquer the Iron Islands, to give the Lords their war and the poor their bread. I want peace in the main land and fire raining on Pyke… And a husband I can tolerate. Not love, not like, I’m happy with someone I can tolerate. Someone that will help me giving the Iron Throne a heir. Nothing more and nothing less… Because it’s only lent, this ugly thing, and I can’t sit on it forever. But I want someone of my blood up there. And if this means that I need to marry the son of Jamie Lannister to protect my sweet, kind and fragile sister from the claws of this Lion, I’ll do it. I do not show it, but I love my family, and for my siblings, I’m the only person remaining of their family. It is my duty to protect them, not only as their queen, but also as the head of their family.” He understood her better now. _How much she loves her two laughing, cheerfull siblings..._ They fell in silence. This comfortable sort of silence, the sort of silence he only could share with Rhaenys and with Arya. Jon suddenly realized that dawn was arriving. The first day of the reign of Rhaenys Targaryen, called “Flame”, broke. _May it be the first of many, many days_.


End file.
